


Escape from Planet X

by Selma



Category: Wander Over Yonder
Genre: Bounty Hunters, Implied Hater/Wander
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-26 07:56:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6230131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selma/pseuds/Selma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stranded on a planet full of ghost towns, Commander Peepers must survive with only his wits... and a zbornak that's not his buddy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written quickly because I'm going away for a week to place with no internet and I don't want this story stuck in my head.

The Skullship had been attacked during what should have been a quick refuel planetside. The Dominator-bots seemed to manage to be both terryfing monstrosities of machinery and good at sneak attacks. Which really wasn't fair since the Watchdogs managed to be both terryfingly bad at their jobs and easily distracted. In hindsight, he should have seen it coming. Peepers was sure there was a joke in that somewhere.

At least the ship had made its escape from the planet with enough fuel to give the patrolling Dominator-bots the slip. All thanks to... Peepers' eye twitched violently for a few seconds... thanks to Wander and Sylvia coming along to save the day. He even gagged a little at that. They'd come out of nowhere, just as asuddenly as the Dominator-bots. The planet's sun had reflected off the orbble bubble confusing the Dominator-bots' sensors long enough for the Skullship ot make it's escape.

It would've been a perfect escape too except, and Peepers felt this was crucial, the Commander hadn't been onboard the ship when it made its escape. He'd been in the one of the Eye-fighters. Not that his help had really been needed against the Dominator-bots. Wander could be frighteningly effective as a distraction. Peepers had just decided, that as a commander, it would be prudent to use his tactical skills to provide cover fire for those wandering weirdoes. Not to help them of course, just to secure the Skullship's safety and that it suffered minimal damage. 

Peepers realised of course that by providing cover fire, he'd also saved Wander and Sylvia from taking a direct hit from one of the bots. Well... he'd just have to live with that. After all, Peepers was getting used to those two surviving everything that was thrown at them. Besides, he thought, it wasn't exactly clear how long he'd be forced to live that since by getting out there in the fighter and covering the escape, he himself had taken a direct hit and crashed on the planet they'd been refueling at. 

At least the bots seemed to have thought the hit had taken him out since they left along with everyone else. Even the entire populace of the planet had left. Long before the battle even, in fear of Domiantor. Now it was nothing but a collection of ghost towns. 

Peepers had survived the crash, unfortunately his communicator and back-up communicator hadn't survived. So he stripped the wrecked fighter of everything that could be useful and set off towards the nearest abandoned town. Hopefully there would be something to cannibalize for parts to fix his communicator and send word to Hater. How to get off the planet was a problem he could solve later.

As he got closer to the town proper he remembered something he hadn't when they were just refueling. This was one of the planets he and Hater had once planned to conquer. This specific town had one of Hater's favorite fast food joints. This was of course before Dominator. Even before they ran into that happy-go-lucky idiot and the equally idiotic happy-go-punching zbornak. Before those two idiots turned into enemies, but enemies under a temporary truce but still enemies when all this saving the galaxy business was done. Everything had been a lot simpler before.

After an hour or so of rummaging around in the empty town Peepers was both exhausted and depressed. The trek from the ship crash and the crash itself had drained him and now he was just running on fumes. Also, he found the place that Hater liked. Abandoned like everything else on the planet. Sad really. No place else could really compare to their fried b'nishis. Hater had been so enthusiastic to get here that he actually offered to buy so Peeper's would agree to an impromptu pit stop. Peepers had ended up paying for the food anyway but it wasn't every day Hater even bothered to offer. It had been a nice day. They decided then and there that they would return to the planet and conquer it. 

Now Buzchub's Place was just one of many dusty ruins in the town on an abandoned planet. Heck, Peepers was a commander in an evil empire but even he had his limits. He went inside and found the booth he and Hater had used the last time they were there, sat down and rested his arms and head on the table.

Not a single piece of scrap in the entire town to fix the communicator. Hater would notice sooner or later that Commander Peepers was gone and send help. A working communicator could've been helpful to make sure it was soone rather than later. 

The ghost town was quiet but when you were used to the steady hum of a space ship engines the lack of sound was deafening. Maybe he should get som rest and try looking for parts again. If only the sound of empty building all around him made sleep seem impossible. 

Commander Peepers, tactical genius and second in command of the Hater Empire, wished that he wasn't alone.

Then there was a sound.

Okay, I change my mind, Peepers thought, I do wish I was alone.

It was a metallic noise. Domiantor-bots? Peepers held his breath and as he heard the sound of a charging blaster cannon he drew his own blaster and rolled out of the booth. 

Where the booth had been nothing was left and Peepers took the oppertunity to fire through the newly made hole in the wall. He had better aim than what a lot of people thought due to having one eye. Sadly, the blast seemed to only slow Killbot 86 down by a few seconds. Enough for Peepers to take cover again but not much else.

”Oh flarp!” he hid behind some rubble. What was the bounty hunter doing here? More importantly, what did it want with him? And if there was one bounty hunter there could always be more sniffing around like astrorats. 

Killbot started up a barrage of laser blasts towards Peepers' hiding spot, it wouldn't hold for long. What he needed was good, close up hit. He needed to be able to see the hair up its nose... so to speak... if he had any hope of hitting a weak spot. But just how was he supposed to do that? Curse his short legs.  
"So, any bright ideas C Peeps?"  
Peepers pressed his eye shut and sighed, "I'm trying! Don't rush me," he stared wide eyed at Sylvia who he just now realized was taking cover right alongside him. She always had a talent to sneak up on him.

"You? What... but... " Peepers babbled uselessly.  
Sylvia ignored him in favor of scooping him up on her back with her tail. Peepers tried not to think of how familiar this was starting to feel and he took her reins instinctively, because falling off would be a bad idea right now. If it felt natural to lean into the movements when the zbornak took off, dodging laser blasts and keeping the bot on its toes... so to speak... no one mentioned it.

Sylvia just said: "You any good with that blaster?"  
Peepers scoffed, "Just get me close and I'll fry that toaster's circuits into next week."  
Sylvia grinned, "No problemo!" and practically danced forward, sure-footed as ever.

Peepers was not gushing. Absolutely not. Simply acknowledging that for once, someone other than him actually knew what they were doing. 

He aimed. Almost there. Sylvia lept off some rubble. Ah. There. Peepers fired.

A hit right in that thing's optic sensor and Sylvia sealed the deal by driving her fist straight through the weakened alloy. Killbot 86gave off a few pathetic sparks before falling over like timber. Peepers surged with triumph and he even took the time to strike a pose before remembering whose back he was standing on. He jumped off (some might call it falling off but they were liars and idiots) and took aim once again.

"Now, zbornak, what are you doing here?" the blaster hummd with deadly energy.  
She looked skeptical, "Really?"  
Peepers sighed and lowered the blaster, "Yeah. Okay." he made his point at least. "Sooo... " he started awkwardly, "What are you doing here?"  
Sylvia rolled her eyes, "Lord Bonehead wanted to go back and get you even  
though he and that dumb ship of yours would be sitting ducks for the patrolling Domiantor-bots.”

"You didn't let him, right?" Peepers asked worriedly, trying to squash any fluttery feelings of happiness that Hater not only noticed right away but wanted to go back and get him.  
"Of course not, I don't want Wander back in this place either," she gave the downed bounty hunter a kick, "I left him with Hater and went back to get you."

"You left him with Hater?" Peepers couldn't fault her logic, if someone could distract lord Hater from doing something stupid like turning the Skullship around and heading straight into a patrol of Dominator-bots it was Wander. Still... "I thought I was supposed to be evil out of us two," he muttered.

Sylvia just smirked at him and then it hit Peepers, "Wait... you came back to get me?"  
She shrugged, "It was easy-peasy to sneak by... until that hunk of junk showed up," she glanced around, "Better get moving before more problems show up. We need a good spot for orrble bubble.”

Peepers nodded, holstered his blaster and started walking. Sylvia fell into step alongside him. “Hey, nerd commander... “  
Peepers glanced up at her, "What?" he quickly shifted focus to make sure he kept putting on foot in front of the other. It was getting more difficult when the energy from winning a fight was starting to leave.  
"You're about to fall over on your big head," Sylvia pointed over her shoulder, "Get up."  
Peepers stopped, not because he was tired. It was just... right then it was harder to walk and talk then he remembered, "Look, zbornak. I'm not a lovey-dovey do-gooder. I'm Commander Peepers and I can walk by myself."

Aaaand then he tripped on his own feet and face planted right there. Peepers took a few seconds to bask in the utter humiliation, "Not. A. Word." he said darkly.  
Sylvia didn't say anything, not a word even, just picked him up and started walking again.

"Okay, so I'm a little tired," Peepers said.  
"Mm-hm... " Sylvia glanced back at him.  
“With you know... crashing... the space ship battle before that,” he cleared his throat, “Nothing I can't handle of course!”  
“Of course,” Sylvia was looking ahead but Peepers could hear the smirk in her voice, “Speaking of space ship battles, that was some nice shootin' up there.”  
“I'm actually a commander, you know, not just your personal punching bag,” Peepers grumbled.

“Oh will you stop it? I'm trying to thank you for saving us up there. Without your cover fire, me and Wander wouldn't have made it.”  
“Ugh... don't remind me, “ Peepers felt his face heat up for some reason and he leaned forward and hid against her neck, “You're welcome,” he added in a much quieter voice. Leaning against Sylvias neck, the soft hair tickling him slightly, Peepers felt his eyes get heavy. 

He must have doozed off because he was suddenly startled by Sylvia's tail gently poking his shoulder.  
“Wakey-wakey, Commander,” Sylvia said, “Found a good spot to orrble away.”  
Peepers rubbed the sleep out of his eye. Just in time to see a giant lizard jump out from a couple of bushes.

“I've been hiding in those bushes for hours,” the lizard growled, “Waitin' next to this place, knowing you two would travel by orrble juice. Sure, there where lots of ants in those bushes but it was all worth it. I just thought I would get Commander Peepers. If I get the both of you, Lord Dominator will reward me big time!”  
Ah, that's why the planet was gaining a new populace in the form of bounty hunter's. All of them on their tail, both literally and figuratively.  
“And sure, now it actually might be a challenge if you have the zbornak with you. Still worth it!”  
Only a little insulting, Peepers thought. He didn't need to be rude about it.

“Anyway,” the lizard hefted his laser blaster, “I've got you now, rebel scum!”  
"Who're you calling scum?" Sylvia said at the same time Peepers bristled: "Who're you calling rebel?"  
Then Peepers grabbed the reins a bit tighter as Sylvia grinned back at him, ”Hold on while I take this clown down.”  
”Actually, I'm not a clown, I'm a bounty hunter,” said the lizard and shifted nervously, ”I... I thought that was clear? Do you think I should work on my catchphrase? Maybe 'I've got you now, rebel scum' is to generic?”

Peepers held onto Sylvia as she used the bounty hunter's lapse in attention to knock the laser blaster out of his hand. Then she leaned back on her tail and with the momentum fell forward and kicked with both her feet. That was a move Peepers was quite glad to never have experienced on a more personal level.

There wasn't much he could do except hold on. Sylvia could take this yahoo but there was something that worried Peepers. The bounty hunter was loosing, still he seemed to self-assured. What did he have up his... sleeve.

Peepers' eye narrowed and without thinking, he pulled the rein and Sylvia into making a hard left. He was both relieved and surprised when she followed his lead. Surprised because that meant she... oh no... trusted him. Relieved because behind them the ground exploded as the bounty hunter detonated the small mine he must have hidden before they arrived.

”He prepped with mines?” Sylvia growled, ”Of all the low down rotten tricks!”  
”Never mind that,” Peepers scanned the ground, ”I think he has another detonater up his other sleeve... literally. I know those types, if you um... let me steer I think I can help you avoid them.”  
”Then let's end this!”

No wonder zbornaks that partnered up was more feared than a lone one. As he helped her bob and weave through the minefield Peepers felt like Sylvia was an extension of himself. It was quite the rush when they finally got one last good punch in, Sylvia putting her entire being into it when she didn't have to think about the mines.

Peepers cackled. Nothing felt better than taking down an enemy. Even if it was with the help of an enemy. Sort of.  
Sylvia rolled her eyes at him, ”Take it down a notch, we need to get moving. I saw some houses up ahead, we can hide and rest up there.”

They left quickly and kept moving until they found a good hiding spot. It was one of many abandoned living quarters and they made camp in of the living rooms. Sylvia sat down next to him. They were camped out on the floor so not to be too visible through the windows.Just as Peepers himself, Sylvia was cautious. One bounty hunter was nothing; two was worrying and meant that more could be on their way. Peepers’ scanner had begun to indicate increased biosigns all over the planet. That meant it could be to risky to try and leave the planet by orrble juice. Especially if more bounty hunters had the same idea as that overgrown lizard.

“Didn’t think to bring food with me. Didn’t think this was going to be such a hassle,” Sylvia said.  
Peepers puffed out his chest, finally something he could do instead of just sitting around, “Not to worry. A Watchdog Commander is always prepared,” he offered her the rations bars he brought with him from the crashed ship, “We stock all the fighters with this stuff. In case of crash landings,” he added in a lowered voice, “And the Watchdogs get a bit cranky when their blood sugar is low.”

Peepers split the bars and handed them to Sylvia who narrowed her eyes. “That's a bit more than half of them,” she commented, “Aren't you hungry?”  
Peepers sighed, “Please, you're huge- “  
“Hey!”  
“Comapared to me, you'll need it if we want any hope of getting away from this stupid planet. Besides... all I do is sit on your back,” the last part was only dripping with a little bitterness.  
Sylvia didn't need more convincing and she took the bars from him, ”What's with you?”  
”What do you mean?” he tried to focus on eating.  
She poked him with her tail until he gave in.

”Fine! It's just what that bounty hunter said. I'm easy pickings, you're a challenge. No matter what I do, everyone always think I'm a weak. Just an optic nerd like you put it.”  
Sylvia shrugged, ”I don't see anything wrong with that. I only have a problem with conquering planets what have you. But who cares what that bounty hunter thinks? I know that you fought me to a standstill, not many folks who've done that. And you know that you've got what it takes to run a whole empire.”

Peepers' eye darted wildly to and fro, ”What are you doing?”  
”Giving you a compliment.”  
”Ah... ” Peepers scooted away a few inches, ”Okay? Why?”  
”For the love of- Listen to me, peep-squeak, 'cause I'm only gonna say this once. You've got a good eye. Being strong isn't everything. My ex-partner Ryder... he was pretty strong but what we did as partners was nothing to compared to what me and Wander can do.”

Peepers could feel her looking at him. She probably expected him to say something to that outpouring of ugh... honesty and friendship blahblah... ”Wait... ” he whipped his head around, ”Your ex-partner? Before Wander?”  
Sylvia shrugged, ”Yeah? Someone I don't care to associate with anymore. He was selfish. He made me selfish. Still, Wander could see the good in me.”

Peepers shuddered, ”Saw the good in... please!” he glared at her, ”But that means you were a bad guy? And you gave it up?” he had a horrible sinking feeling in his entire being.  
Sylvia grinned, ”Wouldn't say that I was bad. Maybe not so good. Not the worst, at least. Kinda like you.”  
Well... the sinking feeling was turning into a vortex in his stomach now, ”Is that what you're doing here? Oh no you don't!” he scooted back to her side so he could poke her right in her nosey nose, ”I won't have you going around trying to see the 'good' in me!” he could barely get last part out.  
The stupid zbornak only laughed at him and took a hold of the offending hand poking her, ”How about if I see something else I like in you?”

There was no escape. She had him trapped. Her grip like iron. Say something, his brain shouted at him, do something!”  
”Nnnnnngggghhhhhhhh!” Peepers said.  
Sylvia chuckled, ”You're a weird little nerd, aren't you,” to Peepers' relief she let his hand go so she could give him a friendly punch that knocked him back a few paces. Right after she grabbed her own hand and rubbed it, grimacing, ”Ow, musta strained something with all that punching.”

Peepers slapped her hand away. Finally. A problem he could fix. ”Give me that,” he took her hand and Sylvia let gim, ”It's not too bad,” Peepers felt the hand carefully, ”If you relaxed a bit I could, oh stop fidgeting!”

It wasn't until a few minutes later Peepers realized the position he put himself in. Sylvia was curled around him, her head resting by his leg. Her hand was still in his, being gently massaged. He could feel her breath and she was really warm. Or uh maybe that was just him.  
"Starting to squeeze that hand awfully tight, C Peeps," Sylvia murmured.  
He relaxed his grip on her hand, "Sorry."  
"You're not too bad at that," she opened one eye and peered at him.  
Peepers relaxed against her side, "Yeah... " he agreed.

They rested up for a while before trying to find an escape route again but with no luck. There was at least one bounty hunter lurking right next to every spot they found.  
"We could take them," Sylvia growled.  
"Of course we can. But we have no idea how many there are or how organized they are. What we need is a new plan.”

"Ding!" Sylvia grinned, "Here's a plan, how about we steal one of their ships?"  
Peepers patted her neck, "So you're not just the muscles," he sneered and yanked the reins, “I think I saw a ship that way.”  
Sylvia bucked a bit, "Watch it, buddy. Unless you want to walk."  
"I'm not your buddy!" Peepers hissed.  
“Yeah, yeah,” Sylvia scanned the area, “That the ship you were talking about?”  
Peepers nodded, “Yes... but is it just me or does it look a bit familiar?”


	2. Chapter 2

As they neared the ship Sylvia could feel Peepers tensing up.  
“What is it?”  
“I really do feel like I know that ship,” he muttered. 

“Maybe it's- “ she didn't get very far with that thought. Something snaked around her feet and yanked her up. In the next moment she was hanging upside down from a lamppost. Not her best moment. Peepers was on the ground, looking up at her with a wide eye.  
“A snare?” Sylvia tugged at the rope, “Who uses this primitive stuff?”  
“Oh no... “ Peepers quickly got to his feet. That seemed bad. He always had an eye for trouble.

“So we meet again you one eyed freak,” a bounty hunter emerged from the shadows. She was a big purple alien with the weirdest fashion Sylvia had ever seen and she'd seen a lot of weird fashion.  
“Rongruffle the Huntress!” Peeperss exclaimed.  
“Who?” Sylvia said but was ignored by the pair below.  
Rongruffle just growled in reply.  
“She seems upset,” Sylvia staged whispered to Peepers who finally glanced up at her.  
He looked a bit embarrased, “I might have uh... caused her to get mauled by beasts. If you ask me, it's a bit oversensitive. You and Wander have caused me to get mauled several times and we're still bu- “ Peepers managed to choke down on that terrible word just in time for Rongruffle to grab his shirt and yank him off the ground.  
“I lost an eye!” she shouted and shoved his eye into hers.  
“Hehe... two eyes are overrated,” Peepers said, “But anyway, here take this laser blast to the face as an apology.”

Rongruffle was apperently protective of her last remaining eye and instinctively threw the Watchdog Commander away from herself.  
“Yeah!” Sylvia shouted, “Nice work!”

Then she watched as Peepers quickly disappeared with Rongruffle after him. Okay. That was not good. A few minutes later and with no luck of freeing her Sylvia heard the sound of ship engines. That was even worse. Yet another few minutes went by before Rongruffle returned.  
“That irritating little... “ she looked up at a still struggling Sylvia, “Don't bother. Those are arounian rope. Nothing that rip that apart,” Rongruffle sneered, “You'll pay for that twerp stealing my ship. No matter, when I call Lord Domiantor she'll probably come and pick you up personally and then I can buy ten new ships with the reward.”  
Sylvia eyed the bounty wearily as Rongruffle brought out a nasty looking knife, “If I'm lucky, maybe Dominator will let me make a new hat out of you.”

There had to be some way out this, Sylvia thought. It was just that she was unprepared for this. She thought that he wouldn't- “Wait,” Sylvia said, “Do you hear that?”

They both looked up and were greeted by Rongruffle's own ship diving towards them. Blasting a few precision strikes Rongruffle was knocked away before the ship came to a neat landing. Rongruffle slowly got to her feet but then landing platform was sent out, knocking her out once again.

Sylvia never thought that the sight of Commander Peepers proudly marching towards her would make her happy.  
“You came back!”  
Peepers carefully lowered her to the ground, then used Rongruffle knife to cut her loose. “Of course, if anyone's is going to destroy you, it should be me.”

”You're not all bad, are you?” Sylvia said and grinned at the flustered expression the commander got.  
”Of course I'm good! I mean I'm bad... good at being bad. You know what I mean!”  
”Yeah, yeah, let's get out of her.”  
”Smartest thing you've said all day.”


	3. Chapter 3

With an actual ship they got off the planet and caught up with the Skullship without a hitch. Peepers contacted the Watchdogs who opened up a hangar for them to land the stolen ship.

”I had fun,” Sylvia declared as they walked out into the hangar among the regular Eye-fighters.  
Peepers nodded, ”Uh yeah, that was actually kind of fun. Especially when you're punching other people and not me.”  
”Oh yeah?”  
”And uh... ” Peepers couldn't stop himself, ”It's pretty impressive.”  
“Oh stop, you're gonna make me blush,” without warning she grabbed him and lifted him up. Peepers knew he probably could stop it but he just let her pick him up and give him a quick kiss. 

Sylvia regarded him with a fond expression, ”Well, that's impressive too. Didn't think you could blush. Are you alright?” she souned a bit worried, ”That was alright, wasn't it?”  
”No! Yes! I mean, it was alright,” Peepers shakily brought his hand up to gently pet her nose, ”But I think my brain broke. I keep hearing this weird, shrill noise in my head.”  
Sylvia smirked, "Oh that's just Wander."  
Peepers let out almost an equally shrill yelp and flailed until Sylvia dropped him. He immediately spotted Wander who seemed to just have entered the hangar. His eyes seemed to have doubled in size and his entire body seemed to be vibrating with barely contained glee.

Peepers rushed forward, grabbed Wander and tried to shake some sense into him, "Stop that. Nothing happened. You didn't see anything! Because nothing happened," Peepers glanced over at Sylvia who was still smirking.

"So... many... date... ideas... " Wander practically breathed out.  
"Please don't tell Hater," Peepers whimpered.  
That seemed to break the spell for Wander who broke out in a knowing grin, "Don't you worry about that, buddy. Hater will be pleased as punch to have you back. And I won't say anything, even though I'm a bit sore that you skimped on the first tour you gave me. I didn't get to see even one of the smooching rooms," and then the wandering weirdo had the gall to waggle his eyebrows at Peepers, "Fortunately, Hater showed me all of them and those were some pretty neat smooching rooms."  
"Good... no, wait WHAT?""  
"Wink!"  
"Did... did you just say wink at me?"  
"Wink!"

Peepers shoved down the scream he felt going up. he also ignored how calm he felt when Sylvia gave him a sympathetic smile and patted him on the shoulder. "Just go with it, I've learned that it's easier. Come on, Wander, let's go."  
"Sure thing, Syl!" Wander jumped onto her back with ease.

"You two, halt! Watchdogs, stop them!" Peepers barked at them with his most commanding Commander Peepers' voice.  
Syvlia looked genuinly surprised and glared at the Watchdogs now blocking their only exit.  
Peepers cleared his throat, "Since you went back and got me and we fought several bounty hunters, you've barely had any rest. Clearly you're too exhausted to get away from us. It would be in your best interest to just give up and get yourself locked up here. After a night's rest here you could possibly have a chance of escaping. If you're lucky,” and right after he stopped speaking, the air was pressed out of his lungs by the now familiar Wander-hugs.

"Aw, chucks! Are you letting us stay the night? That awfully nice of you, Mr Peepers. Usually we have to break in and out,” Wander gushed.  
"It's Commander Peepers," he muttered and peeled the furry freak off, "Watchdogs, take them to the spare sleeping quarters."  
One of the Watchdogs scratched his head, "... but uh... I thought they were under arrest?"  
"What are you implying, soldier?"  
"No-nothing, sir!"

As they walked away Peepers could hear Wander's loud whispers, "I could just burst, Sylvia. He must be really sweet on you! Although I'm not surprised because you are, pardon my felxian, a darn good catch."  
"Wander?"  
"Zipping it right away, Sylvia."  
“Thanks buddy.”

Peepers was beginning to suspect that even after they saved the galaxy from Dominator, things wouldn't get back to normal. He was horrified when he realized he was strangely okay with that.


End file.
